Fluid-pressure-regulating valve



.L. C. BAYLES LUID PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE July 2,

Filed Feb, 10, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l.. a.. IIAIIIL lll.

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L. BAYLES FLUIDPRESSURE REGULATING VALVE Filed Feb. 1o, 192s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTO NEY feo Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

LEWIS o. RAY'LES, or EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To :Newsom-RAND oom- PANY, 0E JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

FLUID-PRESSUR-REGULATING A VALVE.

Application led February 10, 1923. Serial No. 618,237.

T 0 all whom zit may concer/n:

Be it 'known that I, LEWIS C. BAYLEs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Easton, county of Northampton, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain F luid-Pressure-Regulating Valve, of' which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

This invention relates to fluid pressure valves for regulating the flow of fluid from the main supply line, as for instance the flow of compressed air to an air lift pump, thus controlling the output of the pump, although the valve may be used in any connection in which it is applicable, and the application t0 an air lift pump or series of pumps is stated as an example.

The objects of the invention are to enable the fluid pressure responsive device,

which actuates the valve, to be controlled by fluid pressure independent of the pressure in the main supply line or in the outlet pipe from the valve casing, and make this control positive and extremely sensitive, so that small variations in the pressurevto which the pressure responsive device is subjected will effect regulation of the flow through the valve.

The valve forming the subject matter of` this application is like that shown in the'4 co-pending application of myself and Herbert T. Abrams, for a regulator for air lift pumps, filed Feb.v 24, 1928, Serial No. 620,900. r

4The valve is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings as applied to series of air lift pumps and in the drawings,

Figure l is a diagrammatic view partly in longitudinal section of a series of Wells having my automatic regulating valve applied thereto, ,as an illustration of one use.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional.

elevation showing the construction of the valve with the valve partly open. l

Figure 3 is a similar view with the valve closed to its fullest extent and resting upon the adjustable stop for maintaining the valve .partly open at alltimes, and

Figure'llfis a similar View with thevalve fully open. My valve is especially adapted to be in- I serted in the fluid pressure supply line of a pump at a.- convenient point, preferably above ground, for regulating the fluid pres- Surev supply and thereby the output of the pump in accordance withv changes yin the level of the fluid in the well being pumped.

VSuch automatic regulation is especially useful with a series of pumps which are supplied at thesame pressure 'from a single source of fluid pressure, as for instance an a1r compressor, because 1n that case a. well in which the level has fallen lower than in the other will take an unduly large amount of air, thus seriously affecting the economy of that particular pump and depriving theA remaining outfits of suliicient air for efrlcient operation. regulating valve prevents this un-eoonomic The application of my operation. v

As a well fills up and the level rises, more air is required and vice versa, but my valve may be made to operate substantially in accordance with such changes and thls regulation may be accomplished by connecting a regulator pipe to the casing of the sensitive fluid pressure responsive device, and extending the regulator' pipe into the well a sufficient distance to enable they lower end of the pipe to be submerged whenthe liquid inthe well reaches a certain pre-determined height.

My valve is extremely sensitive, because constantv leakage' of the Huid is permitted under pressure tothe said fluid pressure responsive device and down the regulator pipe, so that the liquid in the" well vis prevented from rising in the regulatorA pipe itself and thebenefit of thc full head of pressure, due to the rise in the level of the liquid in the well, around the regulator pipe, is obtained and is available for regulating purposes. Y

Referring to the drawings, Figure l illustrates a series of wells 2, 3 and 4, each having an air lift pump operated with compressed. air from a receiver A to which -a` compressor B is connected. The eduction `merged ends within the eduction pipes and are connected to the source of supply of fluid underl pressure bysthe common supply pipe E. An automaltlc regulator F 1s ins ertedv in each 4fluid pressure supply pipe at a convenient point, as shown, preferably above ground, for regulating the fluid pressure supply in accordance with changes in the level of liquid G in the well being pumped.

In' Figure 1 the position ofthe valve in each regulator F for the wells 2, 3 and 4, is

assumed to correspond with the position of the valve H in each of the Figures 2, 3 and 4, for convenienceof illustration. As shown in Figure'2 the valve of the regulator for well 2 is more fully open than normal and the level uof the liquid G in said well is at a l point intermediate the-levels of the liquid in the wells 3 and 4. In Figure`3, the regulator valve H is shown in normal partially closed position resting upon the adjustable sto J and has been closed as far as the stop will) permit closing, so that some air is still being passed down the sup-ply pipe. The liquid level in well 3 has fallen to a point at or below the lower end of the regulator pipe K, so that there is substantially no pressure in said pi e. Figure 4 shows the regulator valve fully open, and the liquid level in well 3 is at substantially the highest point, at which the maximum amount of air is required for the well. Throttle valves L may be provided for each pump, in the sup-l ply pipesB, as is customary. It is to be understood that the valve H of the regulator is constantly open and never fully closed, so that some air is always passing into the pi e D.

eferring more particularly to the construction of the regulator illustrated in detail in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the regulator comprises a valve casing O, to which the Huid pressure supply pipe D and the source of sup-ply, may be connected at the inlet openingP. The opening Q in the valve casinlg y leading to the air supply pipe so that the quantity of air passlng to a well is regulated in accordance with the requirements.

- A fluid pressure responsive device, preferably in the form of a sylphon or corrugated collapsible metallic diaphragm U. of.

general cylindrical shape, is connected to the valve stem S to actuate said valve and in this instance, the head V. of the diaphragm is connected to the stem S as by means of the nut W. The diaphragm is located within a Huid tight regulator chamber formed by the casing walls X' and the edge or lip Y of the diaphragm-.issecured between the casing wall-s X and the cover or cap Z as by means of the screws a. rlhe cover Z is provided with the vent Z', for venting the inside of the sylphon but not the regulator chamber. The only vent-from the regulator chamber is through the re lator pipe K until said pipe is sealed by t e rising liquid in the well.

The upward or opening movement of the valve H and the collapsing movement of the diaphragm is opposed by a ysuitable force which may be exerted by a coiled spring b held in position within the diaphragm by means of a screw Vthreaded plug c having an adjustable stop d therein against which the valve spindle S may impinge in order to limit the opening movement of the valve.

The regular chamber formed withinthe casing walls X is connected to the regulator pipe K which extends downwardly into the well a sufficient distance to enable its lower end to be submerged to a greater or less extent, depending upon the level of the fluid in the well, as lndicated in Figure 1. The riseo and fall of fluid in the well around the submergedo end of the regulator pipe K tends to create variations or fluctuations of A pressurev in the pipe which are utilized for regulating purposes. ln order'that a small rise in the level of the water or Huid in a well around the submerged end of the regular pipe K may create sucient pressure to actuate or collapse the diaphragm U, constant leakage of fluid under full line pressure is permitted from the valve casing O directly to the chamber within the casing walls cated and while the provision for leakage may be accomplished in several Ways, suliicient leakage may be rovided through the clearance shown at between 'the valve stem Sn and the valve stem bushing t in which the stem moves. It is to be understood that this clearance amounts to a few thousandths of an inch. By eliminating a stung box at this point, and providmg the clearance, the desired leakage takes place and the friction is reduced to a minimum thus making the device more sensitive. The air leaking into the chamber within the casing walls X may pass to atmosphere through the regulator pipe K if the lower end of the said pipe is open as indicated in the diagram of the well 3 ot4 Figure 1. .When the li uid in the well rises above the lower end o the regulator pipe, the' leakage of air will prevent the liquid from rising within the pipe, and pressure is created within the pipe depending upon the heightr of the liquid level. The pressure thus transmitted to the diaphragm will tend to collapse the diaphragm to a given extent and more fully open the valve X, in which the diaphragm U is lo-' H to a certain degree, and supply the required quantity of air to the pump. By adjusting the tension ofthe opposing spring in the regulator, the pressure limits between lwhich the regulator will act may be determined, so that the regulator pipe K may be of any indefinite length, extending down into the liquid in the well, and the regulator may be set to act as the level of the liquid in the well rises beyond a pre-determined oint.

l' claim:

1. A uid pressure regulating valve comprising a valve casing having main supply and outlet connections to be controlled, a constantly open valve in said casing, a fluid tight regulator chamber having a normally open vent adapted to be sealed to atmosphere, a fluid pressure responsive device in said regulator chamber, a valve stem connecting said iluid pressure responsive device with the valve to move the valve to more fully open position and to normal partially closed position, means for constantly permitting leakage of fluid under full line pressure from the main supply to said regulator chamber, but insufficient to actuate the fluid pressure responsive device, and a connection to said regulator chamber vent for subjecting said fluid pressure responsive device to a fluctuating regulating pressure in the outlet from the valve casing, when said connection to the vent is sealed. f

2. A luid pressure regulating valve comprising a valve casing having main supply and outlet connections to be controlled, a constantly open valvevin said casing, a, fluid tight regulator chamber havinga normally open vent adapted to be sealed to atmosphere, a duid pressure responsive device Iin said regulator chamber, a valve stem connecting said fluid pressure responsive device with the valve to move the valve to more fully open position and to normal partially closed p'osltion, an adjustablels ring opposing the opening movement y'o the valve and' assisting the movement towards normal partially closed osition, means for constantly'permitting lea age of fluid under full line pressure from the main supply to said regulator chamber, but insuiiicient to actuate the fluid pressure responsive device, and a connection to said regulator chamber vent for subjecting said'fluid pressure responsive device to a fluctuating regulating pressure independent of the main supply pressure or the pressure in the out' let from the valve casing, when said connection to the vent is sealed.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. i LEWIS C. BAYLES. 

